PÖPPELMANN blue® – with a closed material cycle for KAPSTO® protective elements for greater sustainability

Abb1: PÖPPELMANN blue®: Recycling of KAPSTO® protective elements as part of the company-wide initiative for greater sustainability.

Abb2: Closed material cycle: protective element becomes protective element again.

Abb3: Initiative PÖPPELMANN blue®: Division Pöppelmann KAPSTO® is open to partnerships and concrete projects around greater sustainability.

Abb4: Starter projects with renowned customers: After dismantling, the KAPSTO® protective elements are collected and returned to Pöppelmann KAPSTO® for recycling.

A closed material cycle for KAPSTO® plastic protective elements – this is the goal pursued by the Pöppelmann KAPSTO® division under the umbrella of the company-wide initiative PÖPPELMANN blue®. First projects with renowned customers, aimed at conserving resources and increasing environmental and climate protection in the plastics industry, are about to start.

Various paths to equivalent secondary plastics

The goal of PÖPPELMANN blue® is a closed material cycle. This should ensure that the plastic products from Pöppelmann KAPSTO® do not end up in waste after use, but are processed and turned back into equivalent new products. The company aims to achieve this through various recycling methods. One option is the use of Post-Industrial Regrind (PIR), which are recyclates based on plastic parts discarded in industry. These are processed into regranulate through compounding. Additionally, Pöppelmann KAPSTO® relies on the use of ground material, also from collected industrial plastic parts, which are sorted and ground by specialized companies. Another option is the use of Post-Consumer Regrind (PCR), which is material, for example, from the recycling collections of Der Grüne Punkt – Duales System Deutschland GmbH (DSD). These waste materials are sorted, cleaned, and reprocessed. Proper recycling through various methods produces clean and equivalent secondary plastics. "We explore all conceivable options. Which we choose in each case depends on the specific requirements of our users," explains Thorsten Koldehoff, Sales Manager at Pöppelmann KAPSTO®.

Initial projects with renowned users

The KAPSTO® product family, consisting of protective caps, plugs, grip, and screw caps, protects external threads, bolts, cables, and much more from mechanical damage and prevents dirt from entering sensitive, safety-critical, and functionally decisive components. After disassembly, the KAPSTO® products are disposed of – and are intended as single-use items for recycling purposes. First projects are already underway, for example with a long-standing KAPSTO® customer who uses the plastic elements to protect hydraulic lines from contamination before installation. Before mounting the lines, the protective caps are removed and will be collected in the future instead of being disposed of as residual waste. Ultimately, they are returned to Pöppelmann KAPSTO® for recycling.

PÖPPELMANN blue® – company-wide initiative

The commitment to greater sustainability by Pöppelmann KAPSTO® is part of the PÖPPELMANN blue® initiative. Under this umbrella, the plastics specialist consolidates numerous projects across the company that promote a comprehensive circular economy. An important component of the Pöppelmann Group’s sustainability strategy is the use of recycled materials – a core competence of the company for years. With this broad initiative, the group is working on new materials and technologies and aims to take a leading role in sustainable practices within the plastics processing industry.